When Hell Breaks Loose
Northreach: Sinistral Dubbed the Sinistral District due to it resting west of the main Medial District, this area of Northreach seems consist entirely of townhouses and estates, with the occasional spacious Manor adding a level of affluence to the area, though reinforcing the notion that this is very much a district given over to residences. The Manors and Noble Estates stand out from the crowd by usually being fenced off with iron gates, covering a substantial amount of land within the populous of Freelander homes. Transplanted trees and hedges give the district a touch of color, and it could all look as if it were Hawk's Aerie were it not for the looming shadow of the Aegis acting as a northern wall, with the stone palisade running across the western fringe and back around to the south. The Huntsmoon Lodge is located here, acting as a faux-Guild Hall for the various Hunters and Rangers that wish to explore the Wildlands but return to the safety of Fastheld, standing as an entirely wooden structure within an ocean of granite and pestle buildings. A Manor known as Fort Morningstar also provides a home for the officers of the Imperial Watch stationed here, while two estates known as Ivory Manor and Swiftwolf Manor stand out as notable against the skyline of the district; the latter perhaps remaining far more opulent than the location befits. The lush Park District can be found to the south, while the Medial District rests to the east. ---- A black-cloaked figure strides through here from the south, about as fast as one can without seeming more than an average person in a hurry. The figure seems to be confused about where to go, however, and after a while just stops, the hood shifting and indicating that said person is looking around rather quickly. Duhnen moves along with another soldier, the Seamel seeming rather grim and upset. He pauses here and there to speak with another of the on-duty watch briefly, each exchange ending with a salute given to him, before he moves along to consider those passing here and there. Duhnen is spotted, and that black-clad form freezes. A glance to the Duke, the guards, and then the road to the east. The cloak starts to ripple a little bit, the being within shaking, before she approaches him directly and says quite softly, "I wish to speak with Kael before I go..." Her voice indicates that she is on the verge of panic, but she keeps it steady enough. Duke and watchman pausing as they're addressed, both turn to regard the shaking cloaked figure. Duhnen's eyebrows lift, and he exchanges a look with his man, before clearing his throat. "You have no room to make requests," he states to the woman, before thinking a moment. "Where is Kael?" "I don't know, I was looking for him..." Kallyn replies, fighting to keep her panic subdued, "He wasn't at the gardens, I was just there..." Her cloak is pulled tighter about her person as if she is cold, and the girl continues shaking, "This must make you look horrible, I'm so sorry..." Her grip slips, the wimper behind her voice gets a more frontal role during her apology. Duhnen leaves some things unsaid apparently, the man reaching out a hand. "Your weapons, if you would, Mistress," he requests, watching her solemly. The hood merely shifts with her nodding, cleaver and shortsword handed over to the Duke without argument. Kallyn stops shaking, but she still seems about ready to break down. Nothing more is said, however. Duhnen glances over to the assembled watch now, more having gathered throughout the exchange. "Find me Kael Firelight," he orders them as he takes the weapons, gingerly passing the cleaver over to another watchman. Attention fixes back on Kallyn. "If you feel you can't stand, let me know." A few of the men melt off to disappear down the various streets. "I-I can barely breathe, your Grace..." Kallyn replies carefully, "B-but I'll be damned if... if I won't... stay on my own two feet through this..." She wobbles slightly and takes a deep breath, but remains up without having to lean on anything or anyone for the time being. "Very well," Duhnen nods his head slightly at that. "I'm arresting you by order of the Regent Zolor Zahir and under the authority granted to me by the Imperial Watch. I will escort you to Fastheld Keep, as soon as I'm ready." He pauses at that, expression softening faintly as he watches her, before he moves to her side, resting a hand firmly on her cloaked shoulder. "Walk. To the Medial District." No argument, no protest, no words offered at all. Kallyn merely does as she is told, starting to the East and flincing very slightly at that hand, as is is on a very ticklish area. ---- Northreach: Medial District Having grown in the shadow of the northern Aegis wall, the Seamel township of Northreach is somewhat of a dark horse; a dark horse in both a literal and metaphorical sense, no less. Much of the township is often set in perpetual shadow, cast by the six-hundred foot wall that looms above it, making it a somewhat cold and umbral township, though one that tends to import a lot of torches and lanterns. However, in the literal sense, Northreach is a township that developed entirely beyond the public eye. It grew as a township that drew little attention, funded by a mysterious benefactor of House Seamel, while the Empire left the construction of the North Gate to the Imperial Watch and their engineers. Thus the two grew in tandem, and the unveiling of Northreach as a township around that awesome gate was a surprise to all. As a location, Northreach drips Imperial architecture and style. Most of the buildings that form the moderate township are neatly arranged around main roads, with passages and alleys running between them, with no sense of crowding to be found. Townhouses of charcoal granite walls and timber support beams dominate the architectural design of the township, with larger estates providing the various services that all townships offer, as well as a few that remain unique to Northreach alone. The Wailing Wench Tavern, a large inn and publican building, stands in the very middle of what is known as the Medial District, acting as a central hub of activity. Directly next to the Tavern rests a two-story building belonging to the Steelwood Company, while the Swiftwolf Archery Tradehouse stands near to it as an equally large merchant townhouse, while smaller trade buildings flank them on all sides, attempting to profit from the trade they draw in. The North Gate looms in the north within the gap in the Aegis, while the southern gate that leads back onto Northreach Road is to the south. The Sinistral District, acting as the residence district, rests to the west, while the Dextral District, acting as the trade district, can be found to the east. ---- Duhnen keeps pace with Kallyn, expression solemn as he walks along with her, the watchman taking up her other flank. In some faint annoyance, he waves on some passerbys who stop to curiously watch the procession. After a bit of this walking, Kallyn turns her hooded head to Duhnen, looking up at the man for a moment before asking, "What... what d'ya think might... happen... to the others? If... if I'm..." "...If you're what?" Duhnen asks, glancing down to regard her with an arched brow. "Convicted? Likely nothing. Though I could be wrong. It's possibly Zolor will take the chance to declare me an unfit custodian, but he could have done that many a time before now." The Seamel walks with Kallyn, escorting her with a hand firmly on her shoulder, the woman's other side flanked by a watchman. Two guards chivvy Kael out of the Wench - just hurrying him, not being vicious about it - the crossbowman calling over to the Duke and that watchmen. "your Grace!" Sahna, it seems, comes with both, Kael looking a bit bewildered and just awake. "uh. Sommat what t' tell me what 's goin' on, 'bout now?" Sahna walks out alongside Kael, the ends of her silk robe swishing around her ankles like eddies of water. The cloaked-and-hooded Kallyn merely nods, continuing along, "And... what d'ya think they might... might do... t-to me?" Kael is spotted and heard, and the redhead dares to stop (although at least she doesn't try to pry herself from the Duke's grasp). "K-Kael..." She looks up enough so the greaying mage can see her face under the cloak, a near-panicked wreck with a few tear-streams on her cheeks. "Imprison you for a time, it's possible," Duhnen answers with a sigh, pausing as she calls to Kael. He looks over as well, and turns to lead her towards the druid. "She wished to speak with you, Master." Kael just looks... flat confused, the two guards rejoining Duhnen. "A'right - s' a bit much grabbin' me wi' guards fer jus' that..." He gives Kallyn a worried look. "what 's goin' on?" He offers his hands, even - "I cannae imagine y' doin' anythin' - nae after yestereve. Y' did nae, aye?" Recognizing Kallyn's voice, Sahna Nillu's gaze sweeps over the woman, without a single glimmer of pity or sympathy. "Hello, Duhnen.. Well, Lake. Looks like you screwed up pretty thoroughly this time. All fun and games until reality catches up, isn't it?" "The bastard tried to unbutton my blouse, after you wandered off. I may have threatened to remove his hand...," Kallyn replies to her friend flatly, taking those hands with a squeeze and then trying to get a hug, "I'm sorry..." Sahna is outright ignored, as it seems the girl only has the mental capacity for one person at a time, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen..." Duke Seamel nods to Sahna in greeting, before turning his attention to Kael. "I'm sorry for that. The grabbing and dragging was somewhat...well, not what I had intended," he offers with a faint grimace. "Was more just looking for them to escort you if they could find you." He falls quiet, glancing to Kallyn and listening. "... th'..." Kael's face darkens. "'e did /what/?" He looks up to Duhnen. "yer arrestin' her fer sayin' /no/?" Apparently, he's quick to defend, in some cases. Sahna, however, isn't ignoring Kallyn. Her voice grows sharp and angry. "What did you mean to happen then, you brainless lump of flesh? You were warned, over and over and over again by everyone who got stuck protecting you while you tried to commit suicide by authority." She turns to Kael, eyes blazing. "He's arresting her because there's an imperial warrant out for her, and because she's put every last man, woman, and child mage in danger." "The /Regent/ is having me arrested, Kael, not Duke Seamel," Kallyn replies softly, "I imagine Eldan went running to his little sister and got a nice letter sent off making him look entirely guiltless. Duchess Nillu is right, though, the way I've been... It was bound to catch up to me." She then whispers something into the greying freelander's ear. "I'm answering the warrent," Duhnen responds to Kael, glancing to him, before fixing his attention on Kallyn again. He signals for silence. "Mistress. What is this you speak of?" he prompts. "Who did what? Eldan?" Kael looks to Sahna, a bit tiredly. "we talked 'bout that last night - finally got things sorted - 't least /started/ t' get sorted. An' then.. this? S' barely a day agone." But he subsides as Duhnen gestures, the mage's expression oddly hopeless. "I'm surprised she can keep them all straight, with everyone she's tried to piss off." Sahna growls, folding her hands behind her back. "It's only been what, a day, maybe two since you picked a fight with Gefrey Seamel? My only regret is that... Look at everybody. So sad and worried and concerned for you. It just goes to show that men are saps by nature." "Eldan Zahir tried to unbutton my blouse last night, and I threatened to cut off his hand with my cleaver. And then he threatened to have me lessened should I ever pull a weapon on him again, I told him I was unafraid of him, and then he went on about his sister and the imperial guards and such," Kallyn explains shortly, "I called him pathetic for running off to his little sister for protection and he left." Sahna is, again, ignored. Kallyn just plain doesn't seem to care. "Sahna," Duhnen sighs, glancing to the Duchess. "I don't feel sorry for her for getting herself arrested. I do, however, have a responsiblity to protect those here. I had them brought here to stop them from being taken advantage of, remember? If not her, it could be someone else." Kael frowns, looking between the nobles, and to Kallyn - clearly turning things over for himself, worried. Aylina Zahir walks out of the tavern, her cloak firmly wrapped around her. She hears the tail end of Duhnen's statement and raises an eyebrow. Deciding not to be rude, she simply walks around the area, looking at various things, but always trying to stay within hearing distance. Sahna shakes her head, rage all too clear in her gaze, even if her features are a stiff mask. "You know what, Lake? I don't even believe you. Every fight I've ever seen you have, you picked. You've never pretended to be even remotely sorry; All that's happening now is you're feeling sorry for yourself now that you're in trouble. I think it's scared you into making up some reason, some reason why it's anyone else's fault but your own. You've proven time and again that you don't care who gets hurt as long as you have the freedom to do whatever pleases you. And I will write the regent and offer to testify to that effect, to counteract all of the suckers that you've taken in by this 'he touched my button' business." Sahna's willowy hands ball into fists, nails digging into the palms. "She's a danger to us, Duhnen. Personally? I'd be happy if her corpse is what was brought before the regent, because then we wouldn't all get dragged through this latest /spectacle/." Kallyn cares about this. Steely grey eyes fill with rage of her own, and she glares at the Duchess for a few moments' time, "I have never... /never/... denied my guilt in any of my outbursts..." The redhead's voice is a low growl, "And /YOU/ have not even seen my reactions to them. Of course /YOU/ haven't seen me when I feel sorry, /YOU/ didn't see me when I apologized to Karell, /YOU/ didn't see me ripping myself apart in front of the people I love. /YOU/ haven't seen it because /YOU/ are not my friend, and I do not open my heart to cold, cruel, cynical women with nothing better to do than assign labels to people they know little if anything about." Every '/YOU/' is filled with disgusted loathing. She turns as best she can (seeing as Duhnen's still got her by the shoulder) to face Sahna... and then smiles. "But it doesn't matter. I know the truth, and you don't have to believe me. Testify against me, Nillu. That is your right. Or kill me, if you like. I daresay Fastheld would be better off without me." Kael retreats, blinking, in the face of that - eyes suddenly wide. Soft, "Kallyn, /no/.." But it seems the tirade has.. somehow wounded him. The freelander mage looks helplessly up to Duhnen, rubbing at one hand with the other. "We're leaving," Duhnen states at that outburst, expression turning stony. "Watch your tongue, Mistress, when speaking to Duchess Nillu. I don't just expect you to give her respect, I demand it. Come along." He draws her firmly away, not seeming too inclined to give her an option, still holding to her shoulder in case of a struggle. Sahna listens to Kallyn's return-tirade with every evidence of calmness. As the woman's words are winding down, just as she finishes saying Fastheld would be better off without her, Sahna raises her hand. Palm outwards, a corona of white-hot flame leaps to her command. She doesn't wait or even try for a snappy remark, not wishing to warn beforehand--Simply, if such a word can be applied to a gust of elemental flame, she aims for Kallyn Lake's head. Kallyn tenses and eyes widen in shock, emerging from the assault completely unscathed. "She..." The girl turns her head, slowly, "She just attacked me..." The redhead stares at Sahna in disbelief, "The crazy bitch /attacked/ me! Even I haven't gone that far... And /I'M/ the one being arrested as a threat?!" Nothing more is done or said, although the redhead will remain standing in shock if Duhnen doesn't keep shoving her off. Also, random passers-by will be screaming and running off by now, more likely than not. Duhnen tenses as well, making a surprised noise at that display, before turning about to stare in shock at Sahna as well. "Wha...Sahna?" he blurts out as the area explodes into panic. He states for a moment longer, before gesturing sharply to the tavern. "Light, what have you done?" He grabs Kallyn more firmly and all but shoves her forward, drawing her away from everything as the watch rushes about trying to calm matters. Indeed, that isn't far from the case - the district comes to alert rather quickly with pyrotechnics lighting the streets, the shouts and screams of innocent folk about their business a sudden startled counterpoint to the drama unfolding in their midst. Needless to say, the mages are given /considerable/ amounts of space /very/ quickly. Kael, in getting past his own wide-eyed shock, reaches to touch Sahna's arm, to tug at her. "Sahna - c'mon - le's get inside, aye? Out o' here - " his eyes are on that crowd, more than anything, his tone urgent. Sahna raises her hands again as a cascade of flame dances around them, smiling widely at Kallyn. She calls out, "I'm taking you up on your generous offer, Lake! It's awfully kind of you to tell me to go ahead and kill you... I want you to know I'm being kind so I've decided only to maim you. Isn't it a good thing I'm a Duchess, so they can't arrest me?" She tries to shake off Kael's arm, intent on pursuing the Seamel and Kallyn. Aylina Zahir hears the racket and glances over her shoulder as the district goes into disarray. She tries to back away from the group and stares at the mages, the shock of such a blatant attack showing on her face. Aylina looks to her left and right and then moves towards an alley, trying to stay out of the line of fire. The redhead is too startled to offer any resistance to the Duke, merely being shuffled off and still staring at Sahna as long as she can see the woman, "Sahna Nillu, you just did far greater damage than I ever could have! Look around you, you bloody fool!" Although, the sight of the Duchess attempting to pursue causes shock to turn to fear, and she turns to run, pulling on Duhnen's arm to get him to pick up the pace. The entire district is in a panic, the house guards trying to calm things. Duhnen is leading Kallyn away by the shoulder, having just arrested her, and the flaming-handed Sahna is attempting to pursue in spite of Kael's attempts to get her into the tavern. Duhnen and Kallyn look /shocked/, and Aylina's by the stables ducking away from the action. Kael takes after Sah, a step or two - but the crowd looks to make any reasonable pursuit a bit hopeless. Regardless, the mage... reaches out a hand, making a grabbing gesture, his face a sudden mask of concentration. "Sahna!" It's sharp. Unusually forceful for the mage. "Get her inside the stables," Duhnen growls to the guard still accompanying him in reference to Kallyn, before turning about to regard Sahna. The Seamel's expression grows almost resigned as he watches for a moment, before vanishing and reappearing before the Nillu block her path. "Cease this," he states. "Now." Once Kallyn is running, Sahna slows to a stop, abandoning her pursuit without seeming overly distressed by it. She calls back to Kallyn, sharp voice carrying for all to hear over the sounds of panic, "You're a wanted criminal, fair game, you know! There's a five-thousand imperial reward for you, and you know how we Nillus are when there's money involved." She lowers her hands, though, the flames dispelled, and looks straight into Duhnen's eyes, her chin up as she regards him squarely, defiance etched into her features. "Okay. It's ceased, Duhnen. But if she's pardoned after the trial, you'd do well to throw her out the North Gate, because I have taken the last insult from her that I'm willing to take. If she returns to this town, I'll do more than try and burn off her hair." The district is in an absolute uproar - the crowd that normally clogs the streets in Northreach, here... they are in a panic, a panic that feeds and grows on itself as the guards do /something/ to try to restore order. In the center of the cobbles here, between the tavern and the stables, a drama unfolds - in a space clear of panicked townsfolk. Kallyn Lake, in the company of a Seamel guardsmen, pelts along the cobbles towards the stables, just entering the panicked crowd. She is hotly pursued by the Duchess Nillu - not figurative, as the Duchess's hand is aflame in a glove of elemental fire. Standing in her path is the Duke Seamel, flickering into existance between her and her prey. Behind the two nobles, the greying freelander, Kael - makes a hooking gesture at the Duchess. The crowd does not yet calm - despite the sudden absence of the Nillu's flame when she stops. Perhaps too late to make a difference, a carriage rolls through the crowd, towards the hub. Scant minutes later, a perplexed Varal Mikin approaches, leading his horse behind - heading for the stables. Aylina Zahir frowns and cowers, noticing Kallyn running with the a guardsman towards the stables. Aylina stays where she is, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene. She sees Varal Mikin approaching the stables and sort of waves at him. "Lord Mikin... you really shouldn't go there." She then turns her attention back to the mages that are about. Mixed in with the paniced crowd, the Northreach Watch moves about, doing their part to restore order. For a minute, it seems as if the hullaballoo has called out Voreyn to see what in the hell is going on. However, the sight of the milling crowd, screams, angry guards, and a lot more magic being tossed around than she prefers sends her creeping back to her house with a shake of her head. No need to be out in /this/ kind of scuffle. The redhead doesn't care to notice that Sahna has stopped, running faster than the guard but hanging onto him as if she actually gives a damn about his well-being. Not looking back, Kallyn and the guard dash off into the stables. Kael raises his hood - fading back against the tavern wall, trying to get out of the way - and.. just watching the drama unfold. Varal offers Aylina an appreciative smile. "Thank you for the advice, but, well, I am quite overcome with curiosity." The Mikin hops onto the back of his horse, and trots towards the stables - though he does slow so as not to trample anyone as he attempts to navigate the crowd and get a better view of what is happening. "Light sakes. She was under arrest. She was my responsibility. Doubly so," Duhnen groans at that, rubbing his forehead. "What's this going to look like when word gets out? Mage violence in Northreach? I can practically hear the news now." Turning about, he strides back towards the stables, glancing here and there as the watch works. "Disperse!" he shouts out to the crowd. "All is well. Return to your business." His voice lowers and he shakes his head. "Why do I bother?" Aylina Zahir gawks at Varal's form and sighs. She whispers to herself, "This is a good a place as any to watch." She eyes Duhnen then manages to collect herself, she opts to head to the Duchess Nillu as the Duke attempts to restore order. "You Grace, perhaps, you will allow me to buy you a drink" she asks with a deep curtsey to the Sahna. Sahna retains eye contact with Duhnen. "Arrested? Was she? I must've mistaken you for some sucker taken in by a sob story. Being oh-so comforting and kind to the poor mistreated commoner." She makes her eyes big, holding up her hands and clasping them together, giving Duhnen a soulful look. "Pwease Duke Seamel, the evil nobweman touched the button of my shirt, I'm swure he was going to touch me in naughty pwaces." Unclasping her hands, she holds one of them up to make a talking hand puppet, replying in a lower voice, "Aw, there there, ma'am, now don't you be scared, uncle Duhnen is a manly man and he'll make it all okay." The crowd - well, it never gets completely calm. Northreach, today, is now a jittery thing, a thing of gossip and rumor and worry. But it does cease it's panic, the guards do restore order. And while the people nearby avoid Duhnen and Sahna as though plagued... well, at least things slowly go back to as they should be.. .if a bit more fearful. Making her way to her own horse's stall, Kallyn wraps her arms around Springtail's neck and starts shaking, "N-never speaking to another human again... Never..." The guard keeps an eye out, both making sure nothing else happens and making sure Kallyn doesn't try to escape. By the wench, Kael just.. turns away. Moving eastward along the cobbles with his hood up, the freelander-mage seeming stunned. Worried. Varal wheels his horse back around towards Duhnen and Sahna. "Y'Grace, do you want some help clearing up this disturbance," he projects, horse walking slowly towards the pair. Overhearing Sahna, he barely manages to suppress a smirk. Eyes flick towards the crowd, scanning for danger, before returning to the pair of house leaders. "Oh. Good day to both of you. No reason to forget pleasantries, aye?" Luckily for Voreyn, at this rate, she does not overhear the insults cast about. Actually, she seems stubbornly to not acknowledge the goings-on at all now that she's ventured out for the second time. Less of a fear for her life, perhaps. At any rate, she moves serenely over the cobbles, sticking to the outskirts of the district and attempting to make her way toward the covered carriage platform. "I don't have time to deal with you being a bitch, Sahna, with everything else going on," Duhnen grunts, glancing back at her. "I'll talk with you later about this." His eyes look forward again, he searches about, approaching the stables. Sahna offers a nice, bright smile to Duhnen. "Innocent mistake, could've happened to anyone. Have a nice trip, though." Turning to Varal, she still wears the same butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth smile. "Ah, Varal, so good to see you. It's so noisy out here for some reason, so let's go to the tavern." Varal makes a noise that is real close to a growl as Duhnen snubs him. Hopping off of his horse, he nods to Sahna. "That sounds like a good idea, Sahna. Let us hope, for their sakes, no one crosses our path, aye?" As if to emphasize her need to not be noticed, the Duchess flips up the hood of her cloak to hide her face and hurries her steps, nearing the platform without issue. She glances once over her shoulder before stepping into the small building. Duhnen enters the stables! "We'll take my horse," he states to Kallyn upon seeing her, gesturing for the stablehand to lead out Ashanath, before turning about to wait. Sahna takes Varal's arm, nodding to Aylina-- The one bystander who isn't giving her a wide berth. "Absolutely, Lady. Come with us, if you like." The redhead nods, her entire body shaking as she looks out of the stables to make sure the crazy flaming lady isn't after her. Kallyn says nothing. Nothing at all. "Come," Duhnen urges as he sees Kallyn pop her head out. "She's gone. Everyone's gone. Get on the horse and I'll take you to Fastheld Keep." He stands aside his charger, waiting to help her up. Aylina Zahir nods at Sahna then heads towards the tavern entrance, taking one last look at the district before opening the door and holding it for the Duchess and Varal. Varal ties his horse outside of the tavern for the duration, at least until the crowd disperses enough for him to make it to the stables. And, to make matters worse, it begins to rain. "Oh, bloody damnation," the Mikin mutters. "Another beautiful day in Northreach." "Another day in Northreach." Sahna confirms to Varal, before dissapearing into the interior of the Wailing Wench. Meian quietly plods in from the park district, gaze on the ground- at least until she takes all of this in. The girl halts, head jerking up and eyes widening. "...W-what?" she asks of no one in particular, though her regard settles on Duhnen as others depart. Kallyn needs no help up, even shaking as she is. The girl mounts the Duke's horse and settles into the saddle, offering a sort of thankful little smile to the man, but still no words. Duhnen seems past the point of smiles, climbing up once she's settled to rest in the saddle as well. He glances up at the rain beginning to fall, and his mood seems to worsen. "Lovely!" he barks out, urging the horse into a fast ride. ---- Northreach Road One of the newest highways in Fastheld, the aptly named Northreach Road runs a direct north-south path between the Seamel Township of Northreach in the north, and the Mikin city of Wedgecrest in the south. The route itself is practically flawless, with the Imperial Engineers that constructed it having used tricks learned from Mikin Road - that is, to build through anything that stood in their way, or change the landscape to meet the lay of the road. To that end, the road has a habit of cutting neatly through the middle of a copse of trees of hedges on it's perfectly direct path, which makes it an absolute dream to travel, as well as somewhat interesting as well. The road itself is paved with smooth stone cobbles of the finest cut and design, with ditches running on either side for surface water to drain through the channels and be collected by. Raised slightly above the height of the surrounding landscape, the water is encouraged to drain in this manner, though the elevated height also makes it slightly more difficult for bandits to lay in wait as a result. The northern stretch of road extends beneath the shadow of the Northern Aegis wall, and within the sight of the wonderous North Gate that bridges the gap in the Aegis and the Wildlands beyond. The stone palisade wall that surrounds the township of Northreach is evident in the north, as is the southern gate of the township that the road ends at. ---- Kallyn holds onto the horse's mane, not seeming to mind the rain and simply grateful to be away from Sahna. She hunches, though, guilt washing over her as she merely hangs on for the ride. Duhnen remains quiet as well, staring past the red hair to the road ahead. He mutters something in annoyance at the rain, and after a moment, his skin seems to turn noticeably clammy as he keeps one hand about her to hold her firmly. Category:Logs